Turkey Tour Key Offering Cappadocia And Ephesus Tour Packages

Turkey Tour Key has announced that they are currently offering two different kinds of tourism packages specifically catering for the needs of those who want to get the most out of their holiday to Turkey. Currently, among numerous other tour packages, Turkey Tour Key are proud to be offering Cappadocia tours and Ephesus tours. Both of these tours have been built and put together to ensure that all tourists to Turkey are able to view some of the most spectacular sights that the country has to offer. Currently, both of the tours have a length of 2-days, and include several stops and visits - as well as helpful, joyful and cheerful tour guides which are ready to guide tourists along the educational journey they so desire.

With dozens of positive reviews, anybody visiting Turkey and looking to explore Cappadocia tours and Ephesus tours are recommended to check out the two packages currently being offered by Turkey Tour Key. Both of the packages are currently affordably priced, and are actually some of the most affordable priced tour packages in the country.

Cappadocia (Kapadokya) is an area in Central Anatolia in Turkey best known for its unique moon-like landscape, underground cities, cave churches and houses carved in the rocks. Ephesus (Efes) is a was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the coast of Ionia, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. These well preserved ruins are one of the major tourist attractions of Turkey.

Celsius Library in Ephesus

Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel

Where to stay in Cappadocia while in Cappadocia? Of course in a cave hotel. There are many choose among for different budgets. One of them is Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel. A unique cave hotel that combines houses and cave dwellings of the Hittite, Roman and Byzantine Periods with the luxurious comfort of the 21st Century. So, when you hear "cave", do not expect to stay like cavemen of the past. This very different experience in cave rooms comes with a warm and clean environment with a modern room infrastructure of Wi-Fi, jacuzzi, and a very good view of the city.

Cappadocia's fairy chimneys are a special type of volcanic rock. You can basically carve a room in them with a pocket knife and enough time. They are soft enough to be carved but hard enough to last ( there are many ancient churches in the region carved almost a thousand and a half years ago and still stands still). Many houses in Cappadocia is in caves and recently cave hotels became a trend which offer a unique hotel experience.

Cappadocia Cave Suites is located in the city of Goreme, one of the most beautiful and characteristic locales in the Cappadocia region. The famous fairy chimneys and fantastic colorful shapes of the landscape, make this region a natural wonder of the world. Come to relax and explore this historic, wondrous and romantic landscape while enjoying the finest in hotel accommodations and world famous Turkish hospitality.

The hotel offers real cave rooms and rooms designed as caves. Although, all of the rooms are spacious and decorated with a beautiful local flair, if you want the real deal, ask for a real cave room:  they are extraordinary! Also try to book upper cave rooms which offer a better views.

Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel

Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel
Gafferli Mah. Ünlü Sok. No: 19, Goreme, Goreme, Turkey

Useful tip: A taxi ride from the airport to a Goreme hotel will be very expensive compared to the transport arranged by the hotel. A taxi ride can cost around 150 TL while a hotel van can cost 20-30 TL.

Turkey’s Coastal Property Market Gains from Rise in Blue Flag Beaches

House-hunters looking for an overseas property near a clean, safe beach are spoilt for choice in Turkey, says Turkish property specialist Spot Blue, thanks to 383 beaches there being awarded Blue Flag status this year, the most the country has ever achieved and 59 more than in 2012.

Turkey now has the third highest number of Blue Flag beaches out of all 48 countries that participate in the Blue Flag scheme, which is recognised globally and organised by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). This puts it ahead of France, which this year drops to fourth from third. Turkey also has 21 Blue Flag marinas, currently the seventh highest number.

“While some countries are falling down the rankings, Turkey is raising its game and improving the quality of its beaches and marinas,” said Julian Walker, director at Spot Blue. “The knock-on effect is positive for the property market – being near a Blue Flag beach can only help a property hold value. Unsurprisingly, Antalya on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast now has a staggering 179 Blue Flag beaches, more than double that of any other Turkish region – Mugla has the second highest number with 76.” Three beaches in Istanbul on the Sea of Marmara are also on the list.

To be awarded a Blue Flag, a beach is assessed on water quality, environmental management, safety and services, and availability of information about the environment. Out of Turkey’s 21 Blue Flag marinas, seven are in the Mugla region, six in the Antalya region, two in Istanbul, two in Aydin, two in Izmir, and one in both Balikesir and Yalova.

Turkey now has the third highest number of Blue Flag beaches out of all 48 countries that participate
 in the Blue Flag scheme.

“The latest Blue Flag list highlights just how untapped much of Turkey’s coastline is,” continued Julian Walker. “Away from the main resorts, there are dozens of stunning beaches and bays that many foreigners never encounter, real gems each with a selection of properties to choose from. The Bodrum Peninsula in Mugla is a good example, where the smaller resorts of Gündoğan, Turgutreis, Gümüslük and Yalıkavak all have Blue Flag beaches combined with stunning property to buy. In Antalya, again the popular resorts of Alanya and Side have Blue Flag beaches, but so do less well trodden but very picturesque areas, such as Çamyuva or Göynük, both near Kemer.”

In Gündoğan, Spot Blue is selling new three-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex villas on a smart development just a 10-minute walk from the Blue Flag beach, with prices starting from €142,296. Communal leisure facilities include swimming pools, tennis, play areas and 24-hour security, and there are sea and mountain views. Bodrum Airport is 30 minutes away.

One of Bodrum’s most exclusive developments can be found in Yalıkavak, where Spot Blue has a luxury four-bedroom, two-bathroom detached villa, a short walk from the beach and also close to the Blue Flag marina, available for €425,000. Transfer from Bodrum Airport is only 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, Spot Blue is selling a furnished two-bedroom apartment on a small complex in Çamyuva. It comes with access to a shared pool and mountain views, and is only a 15-minute walk from the village centre and its Blue Flag beach. An hour from Antalya airport, it’s on the market for €86,000.

Budget flights between Budapest and Istanbul by Wizz Air

From 2 August 2013 Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air will start flights from Budapest to Istanbul according to a press release by the company. Budapest - Istanbul route will operate four times per week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday  and five times per week from September, 2013 on Monday, Wednesday, Thurday, Friday and Sunday. The new service will gradually grow over the following months to a daily operation by March, 2014.

Istanbul is the latest addition of Wizz Air’s eastbound network expansion from Budapest following the earlier introduction of Tel Aviv, Kiev, Baku and Dubai routes. The airline’s low fares will quickly increase bi-directional tourism and business travel between Hungary and Turkey, stimulating over 70,000 passenger traffic in the first year of operation.

Mr. Ábrán also said, Quote: “W!ZZ AIR has been stimulating Hungarian air traffic with very low fares and by expanding to Eastern destinations has opened Hungary to fast growing economies and great tourism destinations. Istanbul, at the crossways between Europe and Asia, is set to become one of the best-selling destinations. The increasing popularity of Turkey as business link and holiday destination will now be more accessible for individual travelers as well as families and businesses.”

Time is running so fast and by the use of flying high you can make the time stop in a way or at least save a lot of time at reaching destination quickly and comfy. Now a new destination will be added with the crafts and pilots for you to reach easily and at a real low-cost fair to Istanbul.

Wizz Air will start budget flights between Budapest and Istanbul in August 2013.

Flights on W!ZZ AIR’s new route to Istanbul –  Sabiha Gökçen Airport are already on sale and can be booked immediately on wizzair.com with incredible fares starting from just 5,990 HUF on a one way flight, incl., tax.

W!ZZ Air is the largest low-fare, low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe.

#duranadam (standing man) Protest By Erdem Gunduz Spreads Across Turkey

Gezi Park protests were ended by the police but on Monday, Turkish anti-government protesters have found another way to protest : To stand still.

On Monday, a performance artist named Erdem Gündüz quetly walked into sealed-off Taksim Square and started to stand still with no announcements, sign what so ever. He went unnoticed several hours but when he was noticed, his silent protest went viral and he became the new symbol of protests in Turkey. Erdem Gunduz totally stayed 8 hours there standing still and quickly earned himself a nickname "Duran Adam" ("the standing man") and the hashtags #duranadam and #standingman ran a steady stream of comments, together with some photos on the event.

"Maybe the media and people will learn something from this silent standing, this resistance," Gunduz said in an interview with Hurriyet TV. "Maybe they will feel some empathy. I am just an ordinary citizen of this country. We want our voices to be heard."[1]

Original #duranadam (standing man) Protest By Erdem Gunduz

On Tuesday, hundreds more men and women staged copycat protests in Istanbul, the capital Ankara and the city of Izmir on the Aegean coast.[1]

A copycat  #duranadam protest in Istanbul's Kadikoy

[1] - 'Standing man' Erdem Gunduz becomes symbol of anti-government protests in Turkey

YNG Yachting Expands Motor Yacht Charter Portfolio in Turkey

Turkey is quite well known for the elegantly designed gulet sailboats that have been handcrafted for decades, where the trade in construction has been past down from generation to generation. However, surrounded by 4 seas, its not just gulets that sail and cruise the sparkling waters of the seas. There are thousands of Mediterranean boat charters of all sizes, particularly during the season of holidays in the Mediterranean and Aegean – sharing with other beautiful countries these beautiful waters.

While alternative holiday styles have grown popular by travelers in the past few years, yacht holidays have seen a great interest since they are not just offered to the rich and famous but also to holidaymakers on a different budget. Group yacht charters and family cruises see choice in what many types of vessels can be rented for their vacations.

As this is considered a luxury holiday venture, it possesses many benefits in all different price ranges. This certainly includes motor yacht charters in Turkey. The regions are more than ideal, and so are all the features and rates.  With an every growing demand in seafaring vacations, motor yachts seem to be a preferred choice since they are mainly built by well known brands such as Feretti, Benetti, Azimut and the others. As such, YNG has decided to expand its services, along with their charter motor yacht portfolio in order to offer more choice yacht and higher selection in prices for most budgets.

An Ichiban 1 Motor Yacht near Maiden Tower in Bosphorus

From the 2 cabin motor yachts to the high end class in super yachts; as a full service yacht charter company, YNG is looking forward to another exciting year in the yacht travel industry from their harbor entrance office in Marmaris, Turkey. YNG currently offers 27 motor yachts in many styles, sizes, price range and expects to nearly double this by the end of March 2013; including some of the most globally recognized yacht names to new build yacht charters based in Turkey and Greece.

The Basilica Cistern gets record number of tourists after Dan Brown’s Inferno

The Basilica Cistern or or Sunken Cistern, huge cistern built in built in 542 just 500 feet (150 m)  southwest of the Hagia Sophia, has received  240,000 visitors in May 2013 after it was mentioned in Dan Brown’s new book Inferno. The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul (formerly Constantinople). The underground cistern was built to supply water to the grand palace of the emperors of the Byzantine Empire. After Istanbul was conquered by Ottomans in 1453, it was used to supply water to the gardens of Topkapı Palace.

The Basilica Cistern is known in Turkey as Yerebatan Sarayı (Sunken Palace) or Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Sunken Cistern). It was turned into a museum and opened to visitors by the Istanbul Municipality after recent restorations.

Dan Brown’s latest book "Inferno", which went on sale simultaneously in Europe and the USA made a significant contribution to Istanbul's Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sofia Museum; and the number is expected to rise even higher. The story in Inferno begins in Florence and then moves to Sienna. Later on, Robert Langdon travel beyond the borders of Italy and into Turkey – where the evocative streets of Istanbul also play their part in the unfolding tale.

The Basilica Cistern